U.S. Naval Institute Staff – June 12, 2026 3:08 PM
https://slgusni.github.io/maps/westpacpulse6122026v2.html
The following is a summary of major ship movements and exercises in the Western Pacific over the last week.
In the Philippine Sea
Aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN-73) is operating in the Philippine Sea as part of its spring patrol. The carrier conducted a fueling-at-sea evolution with fleet oiler USNS Earl Warren (T-AO-207) on Monday.
The People’s Liberation Army Navy Liaoning Carrier Strike Group is operating in the Philippine Sea. The strike group was operating 350 nautical miles east from the northeast tip of the main island of Luzon on Tuesday, according to a map released by Joseph Wu, Secretary General of Taiwan’s National Security Council. The strike group includes aircraft carrier CNS Liaoning (16), cruiser CNS Wuxi (104), destroyer CNS Kaifeng (124), frigate CNS Luohe (545) and fast combat support ship CNS Hulunhu (901).
Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) destroyer JS Asahi (DD-119) was shadowing the Liaoning CSG but Japan’s Joint Staff Office has not issued any updates since its June 1 report.
On Tuesday, China Ministry of National Defense spokesperson Snr. Col. Zhang Xiaogang confirmed the Liaoning’s CSG’s continued presence in the Western Pacific during the MND’s regularly scheduled press conference. According to Zhang, the PLAN CSG is conducting training in the Western Pacific as planned.
“During this period, the Japanese side repeatedly tracked and monitored the aircraft carrier, and the Chinese naval formation handled the situation in accordance with laws and regulations. The Japanese side’s attempts to incite and hype up China’s legitimate actions, thereby creating tension and misleading public opinion, are clear to everyone, and will not succeed,” Zhang said.
The PLAN announced the CSG’s deployment to the Western Pacific on May 19.
In the South China Sea
Amphibious assault ship USS Boxer (LHD-4) and amphibious transport dock ship USS Portland (LPD-27) along with embarked elements of the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) are operating together in the South China Sea. Amphibious dock landing ship USS Comstock (LSD-45), the third ship of the Boxer Amphibious Ready Group (ARG), and its embarked 11th MEU elements are operating in U.S. Central Command.
Boxer carried out flight operations on Wednesday and on the same day, 11th MEU commanding officer Col. Caleb Hyatt conducted a command visit to Portland.
Enroute to Hawaii
Ships from various nations are transiting the Western Pacific en route to the U.S. Navy’s Rim of the Pacific 2026 exercise, which will be held in Hawaii from Jun. 24-Jul. 12.
Italian Navy multi-purpose combat ship ITS Giovanni Delle Bande Nere (P434), Philippine Navy frigate BRP Miguel Malvar (FFG-6), Philippine Coast Guard offshore patrol vessel BRP Gabriela Silang (OPV-8301) and Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) frigate RSS Steadfast (70) arrived together Tuesday at Apra Harbor, Guam. The four ships are expected to sail together from Guam to Hawaii.
Republic of Korea Navy amphibious landing ship ROKS Cheon Ja Bong (LST-687) is on its way to RIMPAC after completing on Monday a joint search and rescue exercise in the East China Sea with Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) destroyer JS Kongo (DDG-173).
Kongo is also participating in RIMPAC and by itself forms the Third Surface Unit of the JMSDF’s Indo-Pacific Deployment 2026 (IPD26). IPD is the JMSDF’s annual regional and presence deployment in the Indo-Pacific. Kongo is the sole JMSDF ship participating in RIMPAC and is expected to sail to Hawaii alone.
Royal Netherlands Navy frigate HNLMS De Ruyter (F804) departed Friday from Incheon, South Korea, having arrived there Tuesday for a port visit. Gen. Xavier Brunson, commander of the United Nations Command and U.S. Forces Korea, visited the ship on Thursday while it was in port. De Ruyter on its departure conducted a Passage Exercise with ROKN destroyer ROKS Eulji Mundeok (DDH-972). Its next stop will be the Tokyo International Cruise Terminal on June 15, and it will then sail to Hawaii for RIMPAC.
Royal New Zealand Navy frigate HMNZS Te Mana (F111) and fleet oiler HMNZS Aotearoa (A11) departed Friday from Devonport Naval Base, New Zealand, to sail to Hawaii for RIMPAC.
In Yokosuka, Japan
JMSDF destroyer JS Takanami (DD-110) on Saturday departed for the Middle East as the 54th Deployment Surface Force for Counter-Piracy Enforcement (DSPE). Since 2009, Japan has deployed ships and maritime patrol aircraft on rotational counter piracy deployments around the Middle East.
JMSDF frigate JS Kumano (FFM-2) returned home on Sunday after a 96-day deployment to Australia and New Zealand where it conducted exercise and engagement activities with both countries.
JMSDF destroyer JS Ikazuchi (DD-107) returned home on Sunday, according to photographs by Japanese ship spotters. Ikazuchi with helicopter destroyer JS Ise (DDH-182) and amphibious landing ship JS Shimokita (LST-4002) comprise the First Surface Unit of IPD26.
The First Surface Unit participated in the Balikatan exercise held in the Philippines. Ise and Shimokita returned home to Japan earlier but Ikazuchi carried out an independent IPD26 deployment following the conclusion of Balikatan.
In Kure and Maizuru, Japan
On Tuesday, destroyer carrier JS Kaga (DDH-184) departed its homeport of Kure, Japan, while destroyer JS Fuyuzuki (DD-118) and fleet oiler JS Mashu (AOE-425) departed Maizuru, Japan, to deploy as the Second Surface Unit of IPD26. The JMSDF has not disclosed specifically where the Second Surface Unit will deploy to or the activities it will carry out while deployed. The U.S. Navy does not list the ships of the Second Surface Unit as participating in RIMPAC.
South of Okinawa
JMSDF P-1 and P-3C Orion Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) conducted a joint anti-submarine warfare exercise on Tuesday with a U.S. Navy P-8A Poseidon MPA of Patrol and Reconnaissance Squadron (VP) 26 over the Philippine Sea, south of Okinawa.
In Southwest Japan
PLAN destroyer CNS Nanjing (155) and frigate CNS Binzhou (515) were sighted at 5 p.m. Saturday sailing northeast around 70 kilometers southeast of Okinawa, according to a Japan Joint Staff Office release. The PLAN ships were observed Monday and Tuesday patrolling the waters east of the island of Kikaijima. On Wednesday, the two ships sailed southwest through the waters between the islands of Amami Oshima and Yokatejima to enter the East China Sea. JMSDF training support ship JS Tenryu (ATS-4203) and JMSDF P-3C Orion MPA shadowed the PLAN ships, according to the release.
PLAN Dongdiao class surveillance ship Kaiyangxing (796) on Wednesday sailed east through the Osumi Strait, which separates the main island of Kyushu and the island of Tanegashima, to enter the Pacific, according to a JSO release published Thursday. Kaiyangxing was previously sighted Wednesday sailing northeast around 80 kilometers west of Kuchinoerabu Island. JMSDF fast attack craft JS Otaka (PG-826) shadowed the PLAN surveillance ship, according to the release.
In the East China Sea
On Friday, a Chinese Y-9 electronic intelligence aircraft flew in from the Chinese mainland over the East China Sea to the south of the Danjo Island in a southwest direction before it reversed course over the waters parallel to the coast of Okinawa, according to Japan’s Joint Staff Office.The Chinese aircraft then later changed course again south of the Danjo Islands and flew towards the mainland.
Also on Friday, a TB-001 reconnaissance attack drone flew in from the East China Sea, changed course off the coast of the Danjo Islands and continued heading south. It then changed course again parallel to the coast of Okinawa and flew towards the Chinese mainland.
In response, fighter aircraft from the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) Western Air Defense Command and other units of the JASDF were scrambled to respond, according to the JSO.
In Townsville, Australia
Marine Rotation Force-Darwin 26 (MRF-D 26) with the U.S. Army’s 11th Airborne Division are participating in the Australia-U.S.-Japan exercise Southern Jackaroo 2026, which runs Friday to July 3. The primary focus of this year’s exercise is interoperability advancement along with testing the forces’ combined arms integration. Participating Australian troops include the 3rd Brigade Australian Army, while Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) troops are primarily from the JGSDF 7th Infantry Regiment.
“JGSDF is currently conducting trilateral field training exercise ‘Southern Jackaroo 26’ with U.S. and Australian forces in Australia. We are rehearsing joint operational procedures based on extensive intelligence gathering by UAVs and close coordination among trilateral units,” reads a Friday social media post by the JGSDF.
This post was written by Dzirhan Mahadzir.
